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A diorama is a 3D depiction of a setting or event. It can be created for a classroom or as a decoration for the home. It is often used to teach students about a topic because it requires both research and craft skills. If you want to raise awareness about the ocean around Earth Day, then a diorama will provide a powerful visual cue to encourage people to conserve and research environmental issues. Spend plenty of time researching what part of the ocean you would like to depict, and then buy your materials accordingly. Find out how to make an ocean diorama for Earth Day.

Steps

Method1

Planning your Earth Day Diorama

1

Research the area of the ocean you would like to use. Your theme will determine what fish, mammals and shapes you will want to include. For example, you can choose to depict an endangered whale pod, an ecological disaster, a local bay or an aquatic sport.

Many schools choose an Earth Day theme, such as "Taking the Next Step," "Environmental Progress," "Do your Part," or "Clean Watersheds, Clean Water." If this is the case, research an ocean setting that will address the theme and then plan your setting.

2

Choose your diorama container. Choose between a shoe box, a sardine tin or a cookie tin. The container will determine the size of your diorama and how big its features should be.

Clean the container. If you are using a box, cut off the flaps and wipe out the inside with a tack cloth. If you are using a tin, wash it with soap and water and dry it completely.

Method2

Creating an Ocean Diorama Background

1

Trace the bottom of the container shape on your blue background paper. It is easier to attach the paper to the back and sides of the diorama than to draw inside it. Cut out the background shape just inside the line so that it will fit inside easily.

2

Trace the sides of the container with the same color of background paper. Cut them out and lay them aside.

3

Draw an ocean scene on your background paper, as depicted in your sketch. You may choose to draw geographic features, coral, seaweed or tidal lines. For extra definition, draw these features on colored construction paper and glue them onto the background.

4

Glue the background and side panels into your diorama. Use craft glue and smooth it into a thin layer with a popsicle stick. Press it gently into the inside of your box or tin and smooth it with your fingers.

5

Add 3D objects to the bottom of your diorama for the mid-level of your ocean scene. Your choices will depend upon what scene you are depicting. The following are some popular ocean diorama ideas:

Use green pipe cleaners for seaweed and pink or red pipe cleaners for coral. You can twist the pipe cleaners gently to indicate swaying seaweed in a tide or to form coral shapes. Curl the pipe cleaner slightly on the end, as though trying to make a stand for it. Then, use a layer of craft glue to affix the cleaner to the bottom of the diorama.

Gather rocks from a river bed or garden to use in a rocky ocean scene. Wash the rocks with soap and water, to help them stick to your surface better. After they are dry, put a layer of craft glue on the bottom of the rock and stick it inside your diorama. You can stack rocks, if you want.

Find small sea shells to glue on the diorama floor. You can collect tiny shells at a beach, or you may be able to find a small number of shells at a craft store in the beading section.

Put a layer of glue over the remaining floor of your diorama, using a paint brush. Drop layers of sand into the bottom to cover the glue. Shake off the remaining sand outside.

Method3

Creating an Ocean Diorama Foreground

1

Find plastic fish, mammals or humans to use in your diorama. Some toy stores have a supply of aquatic creatures or action figures, such as a scuba diver, that you can easily place in a diorama. This will increase the ease with which your diorama is built.

2

Make your own creatures, if you prefer. Draw fish, whales, crustaceans or people onto paper and cut them out. Trace the shape onto a thick piece of cardboard and cut the cardboard piece out with scissors or a utility knife.

Glue the image onto the cardboard. When it is dry, glue it onto the back of your diorama. As long as you use thick cardboard, it will create a 3D look to your scene.

If you are not very good at drawing creatures, then you can find them online. Search in the Images section of your search engine to find and print out animals you would like to use.

3

Hang plastic or cardboard creatures from the top of your diorama. Repeat the same process of making cardboard backed creatures, but glue an image on either side of the cardboard. Use a needle to poke a hole in the top of the cardboard creature, then poke the needle through the top of the diorama and tie a knot.

You can also hang plastic toys from the top of your diorama. Tie a piece of thread around them, thread the needle and poke the needle through the ceiling of the diorama.

Hanging parts of your ocean scene is a great way to create a lifelike foreground for your diorama. Things in the foreground can appear slightly larger and have some movement to them.

4

Cover the top and sides of your diorama with a large piece of construction paper, if you have many pieces of thread poking through the top. Choose a color, like black, that will distract the viewer from your diorama.

5

Create a title for your Earth Day diorama. Write it on construction paper and cut it out or print it out on a word processing software program. Affix the title to the top or 1 of the front edges of your diorama.

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wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has also been viewed 28,302 times.